ABA分解代谢及其代谢关键酶——8''-羟化酶

脱落酸(ABA)在植物的生长发育和环境胁迫响应等过程中具有重要作用。ABA合成与分解代谢的动态平衡共同调控植物内源ABA水平。ABA8′位甲基羟基化途径是高等植物内源ABA代谢的主要途径;8′-羟化酶是该代谢途径的关键酶,属于P450酶系。生物化学和基因组学研究表明,拟南芥CYP707A家族基因编码8′-羟化酶,该基因家族广泛存在于高等植物中,调控植物内源ABA代谢,介导ABA相关的生理生化过程。本文综述了ABA分解代谢的基本途径,详细概述了ABA8′位甲基羟基化途径及该代谢途径的关键酶8′-羟化酶。同时介绍了8′-羟化酶编码基因-CYP707A家族基因的生物学特征和功能。     

黑曲霉菌株柠檬酸合成酶基因的敲除及功能分析

【背景】柠檬酸合成酶是碳代谢途径的中心酶,其在三羧酸循环(tricarboxylic acid cycle,TCA)、氨基酸合成和乙醛酸循环中发挥着重要作用,是柠檬酸合成的关键酶。本论文所选用的是一株高产柠檬酸的黑曲霉菌株CGMCC10142。【目的】克隆柠檬酸合成酶关键基因,构建柠檬酸合成酶的敲除菌株并鉴定其在黑曲霉菌株高产柠檬酸过程中的功能及影响。【方法】采用根癌农杆菌转化方法并利用同源重组原理,采用抗性筛选和致死型反向筛选的双重筛选方法获得正确敲除株。对转化子在不同碳源下的生长情况进行观察并对柠檬酸发酵过程中菌丝球变化和产酸量进行分析,最后通过荧光定量PCR分析柠檬酸合成酶基因对黑曲霉积累柠檬酸的影响,及其对主要代谢途径中重要酶相关基因和其他的表达量的影响。【结果】以柠檬酸高产菌株黑曲霉CGMCC10142为出发菌,构建一株遗传稳定的柠檬酸合成酶敲除的菌株T1-2。结果发现该菌株在以葡萄糖为碳源的培养基上生长缓慢并且产生孢子量减少。通过摇瓶发酵产酸实验,结果表明敲除菌在84 h产酸量为64.3 g/L,相对于出发菌的98.7g/L降低了34.85%。通过荧光定量PCR发现柠檬酸合成酶的表达量是下降的,同时重要酶的表达量都下降。【结论】该菌株的柠檬酸合成酶基因对柠檬酸积累具有重要作用,但存在其他同工酶基因,该基因敲除仅使产酸合成降低34.85%,同时发现该柠檬酸合成酶的顺畅表达有助于主代谢途径中各关键酶的高效表达,本研究可为研究黑曲霉高产柠檬酸机理奠定基础。     

植物脂氧合酶研究进展

脂氧合酶（简称LOX）是广泛分布的含有非血红素离子的双加氧酶,它是植物十八碳酸代谢途径的关键酶．该途径也称LOX途径。因为该酶作用的产物在植物的生长发育过程中以及在植物对环境胁迫反应中起着重要的作用,因此一直是人们研究的热点。目前对于植物脂氧舍酶的研究主要集中在脂氧合酶基因的表达调控、LOX途径的生化研究以及代谢产物的生理功能这几个方面。     

靶向甲羟戊酸途径抗血液肿瘤的研究进展

甲羟戊酸(mevalonate, MVA)途径是胆固醇合成的核心代谢通路,该途径异常参与多种肿瘤发生发展。羟甲基戊二酰辅酶A还原酶(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, HMGCR)、羟甲基戊二酰辅酶A合酶1 (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 1, HMGCS1)及固醇调节元件结合蛋白2 (sterol regulatory element binding protein 2, SREBP2)是MVA途径关键限速蛋白,能够在基因转录、蛋白质翻译和降解等过程中被精细调控。本文围绕MVA途径调控网络关键代谢酶、其与血液肿瘤的关系以及相关调节剂在血液肿瘤中的应用进行综述。     

植物3-羟基-3-甲基戊二酰辅酶A还原酶基因研究进展

细胞分裂素、赤霉素、脱落酸、叶绿素、萜类等类异戊二烯物质,是植物中广泛存在的一类代谢产物,在植物生长发育过程中起着非常重要的作用。一些萜类化合物作为药物的合成前体或有效的药用成分在工农业及医药生产上具有重要的经济价值。类异戊二烯物质主要通过甲羟戊酸代谢途径中的一系列酶催化合成,其中,3-羟基-3-甲基戊二酰辅酶A还原酶(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, HMGR)是该代谢途径中的第一个关键限速酶,能够将3-羟基-3-甲基戊二酰辅酶A转化成中间代谢产物甲羟戊酸。对植物HMGR基因的克隆、酶结构和功能分析、基因组织表达及调控等方面进行了综述,旨在为其在重要农作物的遗传改良、代谢产物工程植物创制以及植物亲缘关系分析中的应用等研究提供理论依据。     

高等植物赤霉素2-氧化酶基因的克隆、表达及其调控

赤霉素(GA)是一类重要的植物激素,对高等植物整个生命周期的生长发育起关键作用。调控赤霉素生物合成和代谢途径中的关键酶基因的表达可以控制植物体内赤霉素的含量。GA2-氧化酶是调节赤霉素合成和代谢的关键酶之一,使活性GA失活。本文主要对GA2-氧化酶基因的克隆、表达调控及其在植物基因工程中的应用等方面进行综述,为通过基因工程技术调控植物体内活性赤霉素的含量从而得到改良品种提供思路。     

乳酸菌风味代谢物质的基因调控

乳酸菌的主要风味代谢物质包括丁二酮,乙醛以及各种氨基酸。利用基因工程和代谢工程的相关技术提高乙醛和丁二酮产量,是当前乳酸菌研究的热点之一。乙醛的代谢调控主要是针对丝氨酸羟甲基转移酶的表达进行调控,或是针对丙酮酸脱羧酶和NADH氧化酶的表达采用联合调控策略;而丁二酮的代谢调控则主要集中于乳酸脱氢酶、NADH氧化酶、α-乙酰乳酸合成酶和α-乙酰乳酸脱羧酶中任意两种关键酶基因间的联合调控,并且存在进行乳酸脱氢酶,α-乙酰乳酸合成酶和α-乙酰乳酸脱羧酶3种关键酶基因联合调控的可行性。     

植物类萜生物合成途径及关键酶的研究进展

萜类化合物是植物中广泛存在的一类代谢产物,在植物的生长、发育过程中起着重要的作用。植物中的萜类化合物有两条合成途径:甲羟戊酸途径和5-磷酸脱氧木酮糖/2C-甲基4-磷酸-4D-赤藓糖醇途径。这两条途径中都存在一系列调控萜类化合物生成、结构和功能各异的酶,其中关键酶的作用决定了下游萜类化合物的产量。植物类萜生物合成途径的调控以及该途径中关键酶的研究已成为目前国内外生物学领域的一大热点。综述了植物类萜生物合成途径和参与该途径的关键酶及其基因工程的研究进展,并展望了其应用前景。     

肿瘤中甲硫氨酸代谢及其相关基因的表达调控

甲硫氨酸(methionine)作为人体必需氨基酸,生理功能多样,在肿瘤代谢重编程过程中具有重要意义。研究发现,多种肿瘤细胞对外源性甲硫氨酸存在依赖性,该效应被称为Hoffman效应。在人体内,甲硫氨酸经甲硫氨酸循环代谢,参与一碳单位代谢、叶酸循环,以及多胺、谷胱甘肽、半胱氨酸和核苷酸等多种物质的合成。肿瘤中常出现甲硫氨酸代谢的改变,并伴随甲硫氨酸代谢相关酶基因表达的异常,其中以甲硫氨酸腺苷转移酶(methionine adenosyltransferase, MAT)相关基因表达改变及甲硫腺苷磷酸化酶(methylthioadenosine phosphorylase,MTAP)基因的缺失最为常见,二者可分别引起甲硫氨酸循环及甲硫氨酸补救合成途径的异常,进而导致甲基供体S-腺苷甲硫氨酸(S-adenosylmethionine, SAM)的生成减少和甲硫腺苷(methylthioadenosine, MTA)的堆积,其与肿瘤的发生、发展和转移等活动密切相关。由甲硫氨酸的代谢改变和代谢酶的基因表达异常,分别衍生出2种不同的治疗策略,即甲硫氨酸限制疗法和靶向治疗。本文将从甲硫氨酸代谢出发,阐述肿瘤中甲硫氨酸依懒性、肿瘤细胞MAT和MTAP相关基因的表达调控,并概述甲硫氨酸相关肿瘤治疗方案的新进展与新问题,为肿瘤治疗方案的进一步探索提供新思路。     

一碳代谢路径通路在癌症发生中作用研究进展

我国癌症发病群体不断年轻化,发病率不断增加。最近科学研究表明,细胞代谢相关调控基因已成为新的癌症诊断标记和治疗靶点。一碳代谢对于细胞代谢必不可少,一碳代谢需要叶酸、丝氨酸和蛋氨酸等细胞必需的生物代谢物质参与,同时也产生嘌呤、腺苷和胸苷酸等生物代谢物质。一碳代谢包括三类关键反应:叶酸循环、蛋氨酸循环、反硫化途径。在叶酸循环中,叶酸及叶酸循环中间产物可以通过产生嘌呤和胸苷酸调控癌症细胞的生长和增殖。在蛋氨酸循环中产生的多胺和甲基等中间产物也能调控癌症细胞的生长和增值。反硫化途径是谷胱甘肽合成的重要途径,谷胱甘肽能够生成与肿瘤细胞密切相关的活性氧。该研究将简要综述一碳代谢在癌症发生中的作用,概况了近年来一碳代谢通路重要因子及中间产物作为靶点对癌症治疗的意义。     

Investigation of central carbon metabolism and the 2-methylcitrate cycle in Corynebacterium glutamicum by metabolic profiling using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The 2-methylcitrate cycle as the primary way to metabolize propionate was investigated using metabolic profiling. For this purpose, a fast harvesting procedure was applied in which cells growing in liquid minimal medium were harvested by a short centrifugation and freeze-dried. Subsequently, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry of polar extracts derivatized by MSTFA was employed for metabolite characterization. Routinely more than 300 different peaks were obtained in the chromatograms, and 74 substances were identified unequivocally by using pure standards. The procedure provided reliable data which closely relate to prior knowledge on flux distributions during growth on glucose and acetate as carbon sources.

Propionate degradation via the 2-methylcitrate cycle was demonstrated on the metabolite level by the detection of the intermediates 2-methylcitrate and 2-methylisocitrate. Further characterization of the 2-methylcitrate cycle was carried out by comparing different mutant strains of this pathway. The growth deficit of a prpD2-mutant strain observed when propionate is added to a culture growing on acetate indicates that the toxic effect of propionate is based on the accumulation of 2-methylcitrate. It could also be shown that the 2-methylcitrate cycle is active in the absence of propionate and might fulfill house-keeping functions in the degradation of fatty acids or branched-chain amino acids.     

Salmonella typhimurium LT2 Catabolizes Propionate via the 2-Methylcitric Acid Cycle

We previously identified the prpBCDE operon, which encodes catabolic functions required for propionate catabolism in Salmonella typhimurium. Results from (13)C-labeling experiments have identified the route of propionate breakdown and determined the biochemical role of each Prp enzyme in this pathway. The identification of catabolites accumulating in wild-type and mutant strains was consistent with propionate breakdown through the 2-methylcitric acid cycle. Our experiments demonstrate that the alpha-carbon of propionate is oxidized to yield pyruvate. The reactions are catalyzed by propionyl coenzyme A (propionyl-CoA) synthetase (PrpE), 2-methylcitrate synthase (PrpC), 2-methylcitrate dehydratase (probably PrpD), 2-methylisocitrate hydratase (probably PrpD), and 2-methylisocitrate lyase (PrpB). In support of this conclusion, the PrpC enzyme was purified to homogeneity and shown to have 2-methylcitrate synthase activity in vitro. (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and negative-ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry identified 2-methylcitrate as the product of the PrpC reaction. Although PrpC could use acetyl-CoA as a substrate to synthesize citrate, kinetic analysis demonstrated that propionyl-CoA is the preferred substrate.     

Regulation of the futile cycle of fructose phosphate in sea mussel

Carbohydrate metabolism in mussels shows two phases separated seasonally. During summer and linked to food supply, carbohydrates, mainly glycogen, are accumulated in the mantle tissue. During winter, mantle glycogen decreases concomitantly with an increase in triglyceride synthesis. In spring, after spawning, the animals go in to metabolic rest until the beginning of a new cycle. This cycle is regulated by the futile cycle of fructose phosphate that implicates PFK-1 and FBPase-1 activities. These enzymes and the bifunctional PFK-2/FBPase-2 that regulates the Fru-2,6-P₂ levels, are seasonally modulated by covalent phosphorylation/dephosphorylation mechanisms, as a response to unknown factors. The futile cycle of the fructose phosphates also controls the transition from physiological aerobiosis to hypoxia. The process is independent of the phosphorylation state. In this sense, a pH decrease triggers a small Pasteur effect during the first 24 h of aerial exposure. Variations in the concentration of Fru-2,6-P₂ and AMP are the sole factor responsible for this effect. Longer periods of hypoxia induce a metabolic depression characterized by a decrease in Fru-2,6-P₂ which is hydrolyzed by drop in the pH. In this review, the authors speculate on the two regulation processes.     

Metabolic carbon fluxes and biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates in Ralstonia eutropha on short chain fatty acids

Short chain fatty acids such as acetic, propionic, and butyric acids can be synthesized into polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) by Ralstonia eutropha. Metabolic carbon fluxes of the acids in living cells have significant effect on the yield, composition, and thermomechanical properties of PHA bioplastics. Based on the general knowledge of central metabolism pathways and the unusual metabolic pathways in R. eutropha, a metabolic network of 41 bioreactions is constructed to analyze the carbon fluxes on utilization of the short chain fatty acids. In fed-batch cultures with constant feeding of acid media, carbon metabolism and distribution in R. eutropha were measured involving CO2, PHA biopolymers, and residual cell mass. As the cells underwent unsteady state metabolism and PHA biosynthesis under nitrogen-limited conditions, accumulative carbon balance was applied for pseudo-steady-state analysis of the metabolic carbon fluxes. Cofactor NADP/NADPH balanced between PHA synthesis and the C3/C4 pathway provided an independent constraint for solution of the underdetermined metabolic network. A major portion of propionyl-CoA was directed to pyruvate via the 2-methylcitrate cycle and further decarboxylated to acetyl-CoA. Only a small amount of propionate carbon (<15% carbon) was directly condensed with acetyl-CoA for 3-hydroxyvalerate. The ratio of glyoxylate shunt to TCA cycle varies from 0 to 0.25, depending on the intracellular acetyl-CoA level and acetic acid in the medium. Malate is the node of the C3/C4 pathway and TCA cycle and its decarboxylation to dehydrogenation ranges from 0.33 to 1.28 in response to the demands on NADPH and oxaloacetate for short chain fatty acids utilization.     

Studies of propionate toxicity in Salmonella enterica identify 2-methylcitrate as a potent inhibitor of cell growth

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2 showed increased sensitivity to propionate when the 2-methylcitric acid cycle was blocked. A derivative of a prpC mutant (which lacked 2-methylcitrate synthase activity) resistant to propionate was isolated, and the mutation responsible for the newly acquired resistance to propionate was mapped to the citrate synthase (gltA) gene. These results suggested that citrate synthase activity was the source of the increased sensitivity to propionate observed in the absence of the 2-methylcitric acid cycle. DNA sequencing of the wild-type and mutant gltA alleles revealed that the ATG start codon of the wild-type gene was converted to the rare GTG start codon in the revertant strain. This result suggested that lower levels of this enzyme were present in the mutant. Consistent with this change, cell-free extracts of the propionate-resistant strain contained 12-fold less citrate synthase activity. This was interpreted to mean that, in the wild-type strain, high levels of citrate synthase activity were the source of a toxic metabolite. In vitro experiments performed with homogeneous citrate synthase enzyme indicated that this enzyme was capable of synthesizing 2-methylcitrate from propionyl-CoA and oxaloacetate. This result lent further support to the in vivo data, which suggested that citrate synthase was the source of a toxic metabolite.     

Cell cycle regulators in the control of metabolism

We recently showed that the CDK4-pRB-E2F1 cell cycle regulators directly regulate the expression of Kir6.2, which is a key component of the K_ATP channel involved in the regulation of glucose-induced insulin secretion. There is enough evidence to indicate that the CDK4-pRB-E2F1 regulatory pathway is involved in general glucose homeostasis, and metabolism. In this article we discuss which are the metabolic implications of these findings.     

Crystal structure of Salmonella typhimurium 2-methylcitrate synthase: Insights on domain movement and substrate specificity

2-Methylcitric acid (2-MCA) cycle is one of the well studied pathways for the utilization of propionate as a source of carbon and energy in bacteria such as Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli. 2-Methylcitrate synthase (2-MCS) catalyzes the conversion of oxaloacetate and propionyl-CoA to 2-methylcitrate and CoA in the second step of 2-MCA cycle. Here, we report the X-ray crystal structure of S. typhimurium 2-MCS (StPrpC) at 2.4? resolution and its functional characterization. StPrpC was found to utilize propionyl-CoA more efficiently than acetyl-CoA or butyryl-CoA. The polypeptide fold and the catalytic residues of StPrpC are conserved in citrate synthases (CSs) suggesting similarities in their functional mechanisms. In the triclinic P1 cell, StPrpC molecules were organized as decamers composed of five identical dimer units. In solution, StPrpC was in a dimeric form at low concentrations and was converted to larger oligomers at higher concentrations. CSs are usually dimeric proteins. In Gram-negative bacteria, a hexameric form, believed to be important for regulation of activity by NADH, is also observed. Structural comparisons with hexameric E. coli CS suggested that the key residues involved in NADH binding are not conserved in StPrpC. Structural comparison with the ligand free and bound states of CSs showed that StPrpC is in a nearly closed conformation despite the absence of bound ligands. It was found that the Tyr197 and Leu324 of StPrpC are structurally equivalent to the ligand binding residues His and Val, respectively, of CSs. These substitutions might determine the specificities for acyl-CoAs of these enzymes.